Hold My Breath
by imogensrocket
Summary: He can't help but be surprised at how oblivious Fiona is to the changes in Imogen.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Degrassi.**

* * *

**Author's Note: **So a few months ago, DegrassiLuva, who is now PrettyLittleBollywoodGeek, asked me to write an Imogen/Dallas story, and here I am, paying my long overdue dues. Sorry, it took me forever and a half to write, I hope you love it!

* * *

Dallas watched Imogen, she was kissing Fiona again, but it wasn't the same as usual. It was forced.

Her kisses came with forced faces nowadays.

Fiona, of course, was oblivious.

The older girl usually was to her beloved girlfriend.

It surprises him to no end that she hasn't even noticed that the younger girl held herself differently. They weren't major changes – she was still an annoying freak, with her stupid hairdos and hyperactive, squeaky voice – but she was different.

At first, he thought it was an off day when she was beside Fiona, listening to her girlfriend ramble on and on about something. He wasn't paying much attention - he was just getting his textbook, and listening to his teammates conversation about the next game, and some girl one of them wanted to bang – but then he heard her say something, her voice wasn't as loud and cheerful as usual. It was softer, and pensive-like.

Fiona wasn't bothered by it, and he really didn't care about the girl one way or another, so he shoved the wonder aside.

She thought he was an asshole anyways. She made it obvious that he and his team were basically scum of the earth in her eyes, so why should her possible problem bother him.

* * *

But the same nagging wonder comes the next time she was off.

He was talking to Owen and Luke about a party he was going to, and Fiona and Imogen were by her locker, being disgustingly cute, then all hell broke loose.

"I just don't want to!" she snaps to Fiona, crossing her arms over her chest, jutting her chin out defiantly.

"Why are you acting like this? It's not that big of a deal?"

"Then you shouldn't be bothered by me not wanting to do it. And besides, she's _my _mother, so it's _my _choice!"

Fiona opens her mouth to retort, but she cuts her off.

"I mean it, Fiona," she snaps, and he feels his eyes widen hearing her say the girls full name. All she did was call her "Fions", never "Fiona".

* * *

He doesn't understand how Fiona could be so oblivious to the changes, and just continue on as they were. Whenever the two would talk about their relationship, she made it seem wonderful, and he couldn't help but feel a bit smug that he knew better.

After all, Imogen was way too hot to be a lesbian anyways.

* * *

Imogen broke the kiss first. "We have class."

Fiona sighs. "I guess I'll see you at lunch then?"

"Sure," Imogen nods, but everything about the agreement was forced, but Fiona was oblivious to it, and smiled happily, walking away.

Imogen stays behind, leaning against the locker door, looking exhausted.

"Trouble in paradise?" he asks, shutting his own locker, pulling her from her thoughts.

She glances at him, wariness evident in her brown eyes. No, Imogen Moreno d_efinitely _didn't like him. In fact, she was kind of scared of him.

"Aw, c'mon, I don't bite."

She rolls her eyes, turning from him to head to class, but he stops her.

"You shouldn't string her along like this," he says, trying to look out for the one person at this school who liked him outside of his teammates.

But also, he was saying it because maybe he wanted her to know that he wasn't the asshole she thought he was.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

It came out like a lie, and she winces.

"So, was Fiona right about you when she was acting paranoid all those months ago? Are you just a "straight girl having a moment"?"

Her eyes narrow dangerously, even though the panic was still there. "Why does it matter to you? I like Fiona. I'm with her. Are you just upset that there are some girls who don't want to be with you?"

He chuckles. "Nothing I haven't gotten used to at this school." His words have a bitter edge, and he hates himself for putting that out there to her. "But trust me, you aren't happy with Fiona. Not that I'm telling you anything you don't already know yourself."

Imogen bites the inside of her cheek, glaring angrily at him, but she doesn't deny what he's saying.

"I knew you were way too hot to be straight."

He regrets saying it the instant the words leave his mouth. But then again, he never claimed to be a good guy, and she wasn't a fan of his anyway.

But still, he's disappointed with himself. He wanted to prove to her that he actually was a decent guy.

She sneers at him and walks away.

* * *

She doesn't go to Fiona's locker anymore, and he knows she hasn't told Fiona about what had happened between them.

Fiona blames the Ice Hounds for this, and asks Dallas to keep his team in-line. He's grateful that she couldn't guess it was him who drove her away, because that means she trusts that he's a good guy. But at the same time he can't help but think that she's stupid to not have guessed it was him.

* * *

They're partnered together in English. It's almost like the universe is playing a cruel joke on her.

She begs Dawes to assign her someone else, anyone else, but the partnership is final. Dawes says that they'd make a good pairing, and that she should try new things, some of the best work comes from unexpected people.

She has nothing good to argue back. Not unless she wants to see him get in trouble for him harassing her – or what she feels like is harassment. He makes her uncomfortable, but she's not sure if he does it on purpose.

She begrudgingly works with him, and she always sits a good distance away from him.

* * *

"Imogen broke up with me," Fiona tells him tearfully when he asks her why she looks like hell one morning.

Dallas feigns shock, but he can't be surprised. Anyone could see their breakup coming; it was only a matter of time before Imogen broke the charade.

He comments on it to Imogen when they sit in the library together, their notes pooled between them – hers more detailed than his, with drawings and highlights and different color inks to represent different points and heading. She's a closeted overachiever.

She shrugs, but says nothing. She doesn't even look sad when he mentions it, just indifferent.

But she doesn't look exhausted anymore.

"So why the sudden breakup?" he asks, putting down her notes.

"What does it matter?" she asks him tonelessly.

"Curiosity, I guess. According to Fiona everything was going great."

She looks at him, her eyes wary, but they also have a bit of anger in them. "Don't gloat over this. Just because I broke it off, doesn't mean anything about who I am, or _what _I am. Even if I was a "straight girl having a moment" I'd never fall for a disgusting pig _like you_." There menace in her voice, he's shocked that someone like her could become so angry.

He glares at her. "You know, I'm not as bad as you think I am."

"I highly doubt that."

"Fiona knows I'm not."

Imogen's hand pauses over the notes she was reaching for, then shrugs. "She's been wrong about a lot of things; it's not surprising if you ended up being one of them."

"So she was wrong about you?"

"Not exactly," her voice is toneless.

"So what are you exactly?"

He can't help but be curious. He'd heard about her and Goldsworthy being together – a perfect pair, in his opinion – so he figures she liked guys. Or still likes them.

"I haven't figured that out yet, not that it's any of _your _business."

He smirks. "So she was right about you."

She glares. "She never even gave me a moment to figure it out. I only got two weeks to figure myself out, and I was expected to be all in, when I wasn't even sure if I was ready."

He remembered that. He had felt bad for her then, when she clutched her book to her chest uneasily, looking at the crowd with scared eyes. He figured she had just come out. Those are always the scared ones.

Now, he wasn't so sure.

She's quiet for a long moment, and then she says something she never expected. "I don't think I'm attracted to anyone."

He's really confused now, and he thinks she's talking nonsense. Then she elaborates, much to his surprise.

"I fell for Eli because I thought he'd be the one person who'd understand me. Who wouldn't judge me, and try to change me. He was passionate, and wrote beautiful things, and he was his own person. And Fiona, she and I were good together; I don't know what made me begin to like her. I thought we'd be good together. I loved how she could make me laugh and how we had fun together. But then that all changed, and she wanted me to go at her speed, even when I told her I wasn't ready too. She just didn't get me, and she didn't want to."

He sat there in shock by her reveal, and she blushes.

"That was stupid," she whispers angrily.

"No, it wasn't."

"Can you keep a secret?" she asks, looking at him with serious eyes, and he notices for the first time, the wariness is gone from them.

He nods.

"I feel like a giant weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Ending things with her, it just feels like I'm free. I don't have to have answers anymore. I don't have someone expecting me to be somewhere, and be with them, and involve my family."

She sounds sad saying this, and she adds quietly, "I wish I didn't feel like this. I hate feeling free from her."

He can't help it, he laughs.

"I'm sorry," he says when she glares at him. "You two are more alike than you can possibly imagine."

He can't help but remember Fiona telling him all she wants to do it make out with her.

"You sound like a guy," he says to her, parroting the same phrase he told Fiona all those months ago.

She sighs. "Whatever."

She's annoyed with him now, and she goes back to work.

* * *

Overtime, she actually begins to like him. He's not that much as an arrogant pig, even though he is one and she doesn't like him for that.

But she reluctantly thinks he's an okay person.

* * *

He finds her crying in the storage room one day. He and his teammates were going to have a beer, and she's in there, knees to her chin, tears pouring down her face.

Luke asks her if she wants a beer, and before she can even answer, he's saying no for her.

Imogen wasn't going to get drunk with them. Especially not the few he knew would take advantage of her in that state.

Imogen looks at him, shocked to see the protectiveness he has of her.

She's surprised that a guy like him can surprise her like that.

He goes over to her and holds out his hand to her, and reluctantly she takes it and lets him lead her away.

The rest of the team cackles, making crude comments about this behind them, but he doesn't pay any attention to them. All that matters right now is her.

They sit at a picnic table outside, his arm over her in a comforting way, and she's surprised to find herself leaning in to him, but blames it on her hormones.

"What's wrong?" he asks. "Is it Fiona?"

She shakes her head. "No, it's just… family problems. I just needed a minute, you know?"

He nods.

"My mom's been shoving me aside lately. More than usual," she sighs. "I hate living with her."

"Where's your dad?" he asks before he can stop herself. Asking about the other parent can open a can of worms he's not sure he's ready to hear about, and mentally kicks himself when he sees her eyes go dark.

"He's sick. I have to live with my mom for the time being." She says it distantly, and then her eyes well up with tears. "I miss him. It's always been me and him, ever since Natalie left us. I wasn't supposed to give up on him! I was supposed to be there for him!"

Dallas gives her shoulder a squeeze and pulls her in closer. He feels at a loss on what to do to help her and it sucks. He feels like he's failing her by not saying something that would help her.

Tears are rolling down her cheeks, and a chocked sob escapes her throat, and he almost wants to cry with her. He wants to take her pain away.

Then he does the unexpected.

He kisses her.

She freezes the moment his mouth is on hers.

It's a soft kiss.

It's not like Eli's, who were rough and bruising.

And it wasn't eager and intense like Fiona's.

His was surprisingly sweet.

It was to comfort her.

Even if the way is misguided and wrong, but she knows he's not doing it to take advantage of her.

And she's surprised to find herself kissing him back, even wrapping her arms around his neck.

It only becomes passionate when she pushes him for it. She's never been aggressive when she kisses, and she's not sure if it's because she's never had to be, since the only two people she's ever kissed were so aggressive, or if it's because she's never wanted to be. But her mind is clouded with sadness and lust, and he's here, giving her soft kisses, and she wants more, more, more.

She's French kissed a ton of times, but with him, she can't help but find the battle of their tongues fighting for dominance fun. Before, she usually lost the battle long before the war had started.

She moans, trying hard to fight him. He's not going to let her win without a fight. He is a hockey player after all.

Then they break for air, and she's surprised of how breathless she is.

He isn't looking at her, but she can tell from the expression on his profile that he's guilty.

She grabs his hand, making him look at her.

"I was wrong," she says once her breath is caught. "I did fall for you."

She shrugs her shoulders, and her lips are graced with a shy smile, and her eyes are sincere.

She likes him.

It shocks him, and then he smiles at her.

"I knew you wouldn't be able to stay away," he says, and before she can respond, he's kissing her again.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Just going to end that here. Wow, I like this pairing more than I probably should. But then again, I love Mike Dallas more than I had originally thought, and he'd treat his women like queens. And I hope we see more Imogen and Dallas, I mean c'mon "You can stuff your sorries in a sorry _sack_!" has got to be the cutest Imogen scene. She's so fierce here, but she comes off like an angry kitten. And he is friends with her girlfriend (for the time being), why not play nice? (And by nice, I mean be completely love-hate, and passionate!). I hope you liked it, thanks for requesting this, because I had fun writing it, and never would have ever thought to write something like this on my own, so you're amazing! : D


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